Steam-feed.



.L. J. BLACK.

STEAM FEED.

V.1112L11111'110N FILED 11n ze, 1911.

, INVENTOR Zeey flaa? a/mwu Allaruey Patented Oct. if, 1911.

LEE i. BLhcx, or BEAUMONT; Texas.

STEAM-FEED.

To all 'whom fit may concern: Be it known that I, LEE J. BLACK, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Beaumont, in the county of Jefferson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Feeds, of whichv the following isa specification.

Thisv invention relates to that class of steam cylinders for sawmill carriage feeds characterized by stationary end portlons and 4anintermediate rotatable portion, the purpose of the rotatable portion being to equalize the wear resulting from' the sagging of the piston rod.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved cylinder structure which permits longitudinal expansion and contraction, and, furthermore, to provide an improved support for the cylinder whereby it 1s rigidly held in place, without, however, interfering with the aforesaid expansion and contraction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a support for the rotatable section which permits said section to be .easlly turned.

Other objects and advantages of the in 4vention will be apparent from the detailed description appearing hereinafter, and in order that the inventlon may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying'drawing forming a part of this specification.

In the drawing-Figure 1 is an elevation of the cylinder. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of one end of the cylinder. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sections on the lines 3-3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig.

5 is a longitudinal section of the center bearing. Fig.6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the thrust bearing. Fig. 8 is an elevation, partly broken away, of a modification.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 and 6 denote, respectively, the stationary sections at the ends of the cylinder. The in`- termediate portion of the cylinder consists of -several sections 7 according to the length of the cylinder, said sections bein connected by end, flanges 8 which are olted together. In the cylinder operates a piston 9 which has its rod l10 connected tothe sawmill carriage (not shown). The stationary section 5 has a suitable stuffing box 11 for the piston rod, and this section, as well as the section 6 are rigidly mounted on founda- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application med May 2e, 1911. serial No. 629,638.

Patented oet. 3, 1911.

`13, said passages opening into the cylinder sections' 5 and 6. The ends of the intermediate portion of the cylinder enter the sec-` tions 5 and 6 through stuing boxes 15 and said ends enter with a sliding lit. An expansion joint is thus provided which ermits' the intermediate portion of the cy inder to expand and contract in the direction of its length.

The c inder has a center bearing 16 and interme iate bearings 17 on both sides thereof. These bearings are bolted or otherwise rigidly fastened to foundation timbers 18. The center bearing comprises upper and lower halves 19 and 20, respectively, having outstanding flanges 21 at their ends which are bolted together. This bearing is located between two circumferential flanges 22 on the center section 7. Between these flanges and the ends of the bearing are anti-friction balls 23 carried by rings 24. The lower half 20 of the bearing has longitudinal grooves in which seat anti-friction rollers 25. The rooves are closed at their ends to prevent 't e rollers from slipping out of place endwise.

The center bearing herein described provides a rigid support for the center of the intermediate portion of the cylinder, and at the same time renders said portion easy to rotate, the end thrust being taken up by the balls 23. The ball retaining rings 24 are in two sections connected by a dovetail joint 26 as shown in Fig. 6. The bearings 17 are also provided wlth anti-friction rollers 27, but no thrust bearings are provided, as there is no end thrust to cause friction. The sections 7 work loosely in the bearings 17 and are free to rotate therein, as well as to move endwise under expansion or contraction.

On the outside of the sections 5 and 6, on

i'rst intermediate bearing, through which they pass. The rods are secured to the time'r bers by bolts `31. The arrangement of stay,

. rods herein described efectively serves to sustainl the end thrust and the end sections are rigidly held in place.

In order to prevent any Apossibility of the 1 center bearing moving 1n any direction, said bearing is also provided with stay'rods 32 which' extend downwardly from both sides thereof, and `in opposite directions, lengthwise of the cylinder, to the timbers 18 of the next lintermediate bearing, to which latter they are secured by bolts 33. ends of these stay rods are connected by eyes .34 to hooks 35 on the Aends of plates 36 which are clamped between the ian es 21.

`The following means are provide for rotating the intermediate portion of the Vcylinder: One of the sect-ions 7 adjacent to one of its flanges 8, is encircled by a ring 37 which has an outstanding toothed iiange 38, which latter engages the flange 8 and -is secured by the same bolts which connect said flange to the flange of the adjacent section 7. The toothed flange is engageable by a pinion 39 which is operated by a ratchet lever 40, mounted on a stand 41. A second toothed ring and ratchet operating device is located on the other side of the center bearmg. l j

I claim: v f

1. A steam cylinder comprising an intermediate rotatable section and stationary sections at each end thereof, a pistonworking in the cylinder, ymeans for rotating the intermediate section, an expansion joint be- -tween the intermediate section and the stationary sections, stay rods connected at one of their ends to the sides of the stationary sections and extending inwardly in the direction of the length of the cylinder, and supporting means for the otherends of the stay rods.

2. A steam cylinder comprising an inter- The other Looaeei mediate rotatable section and stationary sections at each end thereof, a piston workingLin the cylinder, means foi'l. rotating the intermediate section, an expansion joint between the intermediate section andthe sta-` tionary sectionsstay rods connected at one of their ends to the sides of the stationary sections and extending inwardly in the di# rection of the length of the cylinder, supporting means for the other ends of the stay rods, a bearing for the central portion of the'rotatable section, stay rods connected at one of their ends to the sides ofsaid bearing and extending therefrom in oppositedirections and in the direction of the length of the cylinder, and supporting means for the other ends of the last-mentioned stay rods.

3.Afsteam cylinder comprising an intermediate rotatable sectionI and stationary sections at each end thereof, a piston Working in the cylinder, means' forr rotating the intermedlate section, an expansion joint between the intermediate section and the stationary sections, a bearing for the central portion of the rotatable section, said bearing having upper and lower sections provided with bolting ianges, a plate clamped between said :tlanges and 'having hooks at its ends, stay rods connected at one'of their ends to the hooks and extending'therefrom in opposite directions and in the direction of the length of t-he cylinder, and supporting lmeans for the other ends of the stay rods.

4. A steam cylinder'comprising stationary end sections and a rotatable intermediate section, a ring encircling the intermediate section and having an Ioutstanding toothed flange, a flange on the section opposite the toothed flange, fastening means passingthrough' said anges, and means engageable with the toothed flange for rotating the intermediate section.V

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

LEE J. BLACK. Witnesses I CEAS. T. WILL, CARR P. COLLINS. 

